Elastic amusement or exercise device

ABSTRACT

Three large rubber or other elastomeric bands in the form of three closed loops have respective ends tied together. In another form of the invention their ends are bound by a slip knot (or other knot) to a central flexible or rigid ring. For sport or for exercise, three players have at least a portion of their bodies (waist, feet, hands) engaged by the other respective ends of the bands. Each player then tries to pull away from the central connection and toward a specified goal so that he will be pulling against the pulls in opposing directions by the other players. The first player who is able to reach his goal wins.

United States Patent Sabe 1 51 Feb. 27, 1973 [54] ELASTIC AMUSEMENT OR EXERCISE Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham DEVICE Assistant Examiner-Paul E. Shapiro [76] Inventor: William T. Sabo, 879 Kiowa Street, Anfmeygielson Kmmelman and aleson, Kim- Allentown, Pa. 18103 m [22] Filed: Dec. 3, 1970 57 S R PP N05 94,787 Three large rubber or other elastomeric bands in the form of three closed loops have respective ends tied [52] U.S. Cl. ..273/1 R, 272/82 g her- In ano h r form of the invention their ends [51] Int. Cl. ..A63b 21/12, A63b 21/28 are bound by a slip knot (or other knot) to a central [58] Field of Search ..273/] R; 272/80, 82, 67 flexible or rigid ring. For sport or for exercise, three players have at least a portion of their bodies (waist, feet, hands) engaged by the other respective ends of the bands. Each player then tries to pull away from [56] References Cited the central connection and toward a specified goal so UNITED STATES PATENTS that he will be pulling against the pulls in opposing 3 25 690 ,1969 C b t 272/ X directions by the other players. The first player who is ar onne 3,612,521 10 1971 Wendebom ..272/67 able to reach goal 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEB 3,718,329

INVENTOR. WILLIAM T. SABO ,ATTORNEYS.

ELASTIC AMUSEMENT OR EXERCISE DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A. Field of the Invention This invention relates to an exercise or a game device and especially one employing a plurality of elastic bands.

B. Prior Art The prior art contains a number of devices for exercise or for amusement in which a plurality of plastic bands are employed. However, they either are connected at more than one point, or are joined by a single flexible band or other intermediary connection, or are of unequal sizes. A combination of three or more flexible bands of the same size which are connected only at a single point, or releasably secured to a common central ring is not known in the prior art.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An amusement or exercise device comprising at least three bands of substantially the same closed loop configuration and size, said bands being made of an elastomeric material and having respective first ends connected at a common central region and respective second ends outwardly thereof and free for engagement of at least part of the human body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows one form of the invention in perspective view.

FIG. 2 shows still another embodiment of the invention in a plan view.

FIG. 3 shows how the device of FIG. 2 may be employed by three players.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 shows at the numeral 4 a simple form of the invention. It comprises three bands 5, 6 and 7 having their ends tied or knotted together as shown at the numeral 8. These bands may be similar to large rubber bands, or may be generally tubular in cross-section. For use with boys and girls as an exerciser game device, each of the bands may be from 2%to 3%feet having a thickness of two-sixteenths inch at the ends and foursixteenths inch toward the center and a width of approximately 4 inches. The bands may be made of rubber, or other elastomeric plastic material. It may be seen that if one of the bands wears out or breaks, it would be necessary to untie the knot 8 to insert a new band.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment 4' of the invention in which the bands are attached to. a central ring or donut 10 merely by using a slip knot at one end of each end of the bands. The ring 10 may be rigid or flexible and be made of any appropriate material. If it is flexible it can be made of rubber similar to a powertransmission belt for use with a motor pulley and a driven shaft.

FIG. 3 shows three children 11, 12, 13 on their hands and knees and the bands 5, 6 and 7 looped around their waists. At the beginning of the game, all of their toes, for example, (or knees) touch a central ring 14 painted on the playing surface such as a gymnasium floor. At the signal, each child attempts to crawl forward so that he will be the first to have his knees touch the outer circle l5 painted on the playing surface or some other goal a predetermined distance from the center.

The goal toward which each player attempts to move may be of any desired kind such as a conical marker, a bean bag, candy, a wooden block, or any other desired object. The first child who doesreach this goal, or who is the most advanced toward achieving this goal within a given time, is the winner.

Another way to employ the invention is to have each child pass a band around his waist but be facing up so that the band comes between his legs, his soles touching the playing surface as well as his palms behind him and his stomach facing upward. This may be known as the three-way backward crab pull. In this same general position, the bands could alternatively be passed around one or both legs of the contestants.

Still another method of use is to have the contestants on their hands and knees, and to pass the bands around one or both feet. This may be termed the fish pull and at the given signal each player tries to move forward by using his hands and sliding his knees along the playing surface.

Another variation is for six players to be used, two of them being surrounded at the waist, for example, by each of the bands, either in the crawling position (FIG. 3) or in the three way backward crab pull. In other respects the game is similar to the one shown in FIG. 3.

Still another way of using this device is for three contestants to turn on their side with one hand supporting them on the floor and the other hand looped through the end of the band. At the signal each player tries to move away from the center.

If only two players are present, two of them may have the desired portion of their body engaged by two of the bands and move diametrically opposite one another while a judge holds the third band in a fixed position.

If desired four or more bands may be employed in which case a corresponding number of players can compete. The bands are then angularly disposed an equal distance in the horizontal plane.

It has been found that the device has evoked a great deal of interest from children using it and by its effect upon the muscles of the body improving muscle tone and improving the udition of the contestant as his body capacity is strained during the exertion of the game.

Since other forms of the invention, which do not depart from the essence thereof, will occur to those skilled in the art upon perusal of this specification and drawings, the invention should be limited solely by the following claims:

I claim:

1. An amusement or exercise device comprising at least three bands of substantially the same closed loop configuration and size, said bands being made of an elastomeric material and having respective first ends directly connected to one another at a common central region and respective second ends outwardly thereof and free for engagement of at least part of the human body.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein said first ends are knotted together.

3. An amusement or exercise, device comprising at least three bands of substantially the same closed loop configuration and size, said bands being made of an elastomeric material and having respective first ends, a flexible, closed, curve member disposed at a common central region of said device, said first ends being releasably secured to said member by slip-knots.

4. The device according to claim 3 wherein said member is rigid and generally circular in shape. 

1. An amusement or exercise device comprising at least three bands of substantially the same closed loop configuration and size, said bands being made of an elastomeric material and having respective first ends directly connected to one another at a common central region and respective second ends outwardly thereof and free for engagement of at least part of the human body.
 2. The device according to claim 1 wherein said first ends are knotted together.
 3. An amusement or exercise device comprising at least three bands of substantially the same closed loop configuration and size, said bands being made of an elastomeric material and having respective first ends, a flexible, closed, curve member disposed at a common central region of said device, said first ends being releasably secured to said member by slip-knots.
 4. The device according to claim 3 wherein said member is rigid and generally circular in shape. 